Three dimensional greeting card



y 1961 s. I. ACOSTA ETAL 2,984,920

THREE DIMENSIONAL GREETING CARD Filed Jan. 5, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig.

Fig. 3 20 28 34 v5 1: a: Ilif h 50 Gabriel Acosta h Gonzalo Acosta 6.

15: INVENTORS.

:1 BY y May 23, 19 1 cs. I. ACOSTA ETAL THREE DIMENSIONAL GREETING CARDFiled Jan. 5, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 2

a, Yi I I: M 22 I I F /g. 6

I I l l j I I i I /l/ f 24 26 Gabriel Acosta Yj Gonzalo Acosfa 6.INVENTORS. 50 42 30 A @6 1- Fi 7 BY gym, 15m

Patented May 23, 1961 THREE DIMENSIONAL GREETING CARD Gabriel I. Acostaand Gonzalo Acosta C., both of 25 Lucio, Jalapa, Veracruz, Mexico FiledJan. '5, 1960, Ser. No. 657

4 Claims. (Cl. 40124.1)

The present invention generally relates to an improved and novelgreeting card construction and more particularly to such a constructionin which the greeting card when opened, produces a three dimensionaleffect.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a threedimensional card incorporating superimposed transparent panels, eachhaving a portion of an over-all portion or pictorial scene thereontogether with a novel structural interconnection between the panels forautomatically orientating the panels in spaced superimposed relationwhen the greeting card is open for viewing or reading whereby the spacedtransparent panels provide a three-dimensional eflect.

Another object of the present invention is to provide athree-dimensional greeting card in accordance with the preceding objectin which the panels are connected to partial cover flaps at each endthereof whereby opening movement of the cover flaps will orientate thepanels in spaced relation with only certain of the panels beingconnected to both of the flaps and with one of the panels beingconnected with only one of the flaps thereby providing for adifferential in the lateral movement of the superimposed panels forspacing the panels from each other when the greeting card flaps areopened.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a threedimensional greeting card construction which is extremely simple, easyto employ eflectively, novel in appearance and rather inexpensive tomanufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a perspective View of the greeting card of the presentinvention when in closed position;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the greeting card with the closureflaps in open position and with the panels disposed in spaced relationto each other;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a planepassing along section line 33 of Figure 1 illustrating the relationshipof the panels when the greeting card is closed;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a planepassing along section line 44 of Figure 2 illustrating the orientationof the panels when the greeting card is open;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the construction of Figure Figure 6 is a planview of the blank of material forming the backing and closure flap forthe greeting card;

Figure 7 is a schematic plan view illustrating the manner of assembly ofthe components of the invention.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generallydesignates the greeting card of the present invention which may have anysuitable indicia on the front exterior surface compatible with theoccasion for which the greeting card is intended and also compatiblewith the material within the interior of the greeting card.

The greeting card 10 includes a rear panel of backing materialdesignated by numeral 12 which may conveniently be of paper or anysimilar material from which greeting cards are usually constructed. Eachend edge of the rear panel '12 is provided with a vertical fold line 14and 16 respectively. Spaced slightly longitudinally from the fold line14 is a fold line 18 which defines a partial closure panel 20 having afree edge 22 at the outer edge thereof. The other fold line 16 isprovided with a fold line 24 spaced slightly therefrom rwhich defines apartial closure panel 26 divided into sections 28 and 30 by a fold line32. The entire rear panel 12, the area between the fold lines and thepartial closure panels 20 and 26 are of one-piece construction and areconstructed of paper, cardboard or the like.

Mounted against the inner or front surface of the rear panel 12 is afirst indicia carrying panel 34 secured to the front surface of thepanel 12 as by adhesive or the like and in the example illustrated, thepanel 34 includes indicia defining a castle 36 and other backgroundindicia such as clouds or the like.

Disposed forwardly of the first panel 34 is a second or intermediatepanel 38 of transparent flexible material which also is provided withindicia as required to illustrate the cart or wagon 40. Disposedforwardly of the second panel 38 is a third panel 42 or forward panelwhich also is constructed of transparent flexible material and whichalso is provided with indicia designating a person 44 and the like.

A third panel or forward panel 42 is provided with one end edge 46disposed angularly thereto and received between the sections 28 and 30of the partial closure flap 26 with the flange 46 being retained thereinby adhesive or the like. The other end of the third panel 42 is attachedto the inner surface of that area of the backing panel 12 and closurepanel 20 that is defined by the fold lines 18 and 14 as illustrated inFigure 5 which, in this condition, has the end edges of the forwardmostpanel 42 connected in the manner shown in Figure 5.

The intermediate or second panel 38 has one end edge thereof which isfree as designated by numeral 48 and the other end edge of the panel 38is hingedly connected to the inner end edge surface of the forwardmostpanel 42 by a pair of flexible hinge straps 50 which pivotally connectsthe panel 38 to the panels 42 and 12.

When using the present invention, it is signed in any suitable mannerand mailed or otherwise delivered however desired. When the recipientobtains the card, it will be natural toopen the partial panels 20 and 30from the closed position in Figure 1 to the open position illustrated inFigure 2.. When this is done, the natural resiliency of the cardboard orthe like will cause the rear panel 12 to be disposed arcuately with thefirst panel 34 also being disposed arcuately as illustrated in Figure 5.In view of the free end 48 of the panel 38, this panel will remainsubstantially straight While the partial covers 20 and 30 are hingedapart. The third panel 42 is spaced from the intermediate panel 38 byvirtue of the point of attachment of the flange 46 with the tabs 32 andwith the connection between the hinge strap 50 and rear panel '12.

All of the panels 34, 38 and 42 may be constructed of plastic althoughpanel 34 may be constructed of paper material or the like. However,panels 42 and 38 are necessarily transparent except where the pictorialindicia is employed and these panels are preferably constructed ofplastic material or the like.

When the greeting card is mailed, it is folded in the manner of Figure lfor reception in a suitable envelope or the like. When the card isreceived, the partial panels 20 and 30 normally will be gripped andpivoted outward- 1y toward the position illustrated in Figure 5 whichwill automatically orientate the panels 34, 38 and 42 in the mannerillustrated in Figure 5 whereby the superimposed indicia combined withthe transparent panels will provide a three dimensional effect for theover-all picture or scene with each of. the panels carrying a portion ofthe indicia thereon.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

' What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A greeting card comprising a plurality of superimposed panels, therearmost of said panels including a backing panel, a first indiciacarrying panel mounted on the inner surface of the backing panel, asecond panel of transparent material superimposed on the first panel,and a third panel of transparent material superimposed over the secondpanel, said second and third panels being constructed of flexibletransparent material having indicia thereon, and closure means normallyoverlying the third panel and interconnecting the panels for orientatingthe panels in superimposed engaging relation when in a normal positionand orientating the three indicia carrying panels in spaced relation forproviding a three dimensional effect when the closure means is moved toan open position.

2. A greeting card comprising a plurality of superimposed panels, therearmost of said panels including a backing panel, a first indiciacarrying panel mounted on the inner surface of the backing panel, asecond panel of transparent material superimposed on the first panel,and a third panel of transparent material superimposed over the secondpanel, said second and third panels being constructed of flexibletransparent material having indicia thereon, and means interconnectingthe panels for orientating the panels in superimposed engaging relationwhen in a normal position and orientating the three indicia carryingpanels in spaced relation for providing a three dimensional effect whenthe card is opened, said backing panel being provided with a partialclosure panel on each end thereof, and means interconnecting theflexible second and third panels with the partial closure members forflexing the third panel outwardly in the center, said second panelhaving one free edge whereby the intermediate panel will be retainedsubstantially stationary when the card is opened for viewing, saidbacking member and first panel being bowed rearwardly when the partialclosure panels are opened.

3. A greeting card construction comprising a backing panel havingpictorial indicia on the front surface there of, a partial closure panelextending from each end of said backing panel and normally disposed infront of said backing panel and concealing the same, a first transparentflexible panel overlying the backing panel and having one end edgepivotally attached to the line of juncture between the backing panel andone of said closure panels, the other end of said first transparentpanel being free, a second transparent flexible panel overlying thefirst transparent panel, said second transparent panel being attached toeach of said closure panels in spaced relation to the lines of juncturewith the backing panel whereby the second transparent panel will bebowed forwardly and the backing panel bowed rearwardly when the closurepanels are pivoted outwardly, said transparent panels having indiciathereon disposed in spaced relation to each other and spaced from theindicia on the backing panel thereby providing three dimensionalpictorial indicia.

4. A greeting card construction comprising a flexible backing panelconstructed of paper-like material and having pictorial indicia on thefront surface thereof, a partial closure panel extending from each endof said backing panel, one of the partial closure panels beingrelatively short and the other of the partial closure panels beingrelatively long for engagement under the free edge of the relativelyshort closure panel and normally overlying and concealing the backingpanel, a first transparent flexible panel overlying the backing paneland having one edge pivotally attached to the line of juncture betweenthe backing panel and the relatively long partial closure panel, theother end of said first transparent panel being free for relativemovement in relation to the backing panel, a second transparent flexiblepanel overlying the first transparent panel, said second transparentpanel being attached to each of said partial closure panels in spacedrelation to the edges of the backing panel whereby the secondtransparent panel will have the central por- References Cited in thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 678,012 Maratta July 9, 1901956,916 Wiederseim May 3, 1910 2,565,553 Foley Aug. 28, 1951

